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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT, 



Pllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll 

| The World | 
| At Seven | 

| By 

Burnett 
Steele 

I Jvey 







§j Boston = 

The Stratford Co., Publishers 
| 1920 

Illl!lllllllll!lllllllli!llllllltltllllt!llllllllllllllll!lllllllllllllll!lli 



Copyright 1920 

The STRATFORD CO., Publishers 

Boston, Mass. 



JUL 12 1320 



The Alpine Press, Boston, Mass., U. S. A. 



©CI.A570663 



Dedication 



THIS LITTLE BOOK IS DEDICATED TO 

THE MEMOKY OF MY NAMESAKE, 

BURNETT ROGERS DUNBAR. 

MAY 1st, 1920. 



"When I was a child 
I thought as a child." 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Book One 
FRIENDLY FOLKS 

Contemporary 

The Policeman 1 

The Grocery-Man 2 

The Motor-Man 2 

The Candy-Man 3 

The Paper-Boy 4 

Our Negros 5 

My Twin 5 

Soldiers 6 

Old Uncle July 7 

Wa-Wa 8 

Happy Hooligan 9 

Historical 

Jack the Giant-Killer 13 

Cinderella 15 

Hans and Gretchel 16 

Robinson Crusoe 19 

King Alfred 21 



CONTENTS 

Other Boys in Other Lands 

Little Chinese 25 

Eskimo Boys 26 

Baby Indians 27 

Book Two 
THE PLEASANT LAND OF PLAY 

Thinking Aloud 

A Memory 33 

When I Was Five 33 

The Fire 34 

The Trolley-Car 35 

A Greater Happiness 36 

Mother's Lap 36 

Falling Asleep 36 

The Frog Night School . . . .37 

From the Hill 38 

Watching the Weather 39 

Sunrise and Sunset 40 

By the River 41 

Going to Travel 41 

Candy-Pigs 42 

A Penny Rich 43 

In the School-Room 44 

Playmates 

Little Macaroni-Worms . . . .47 

Gran' Daddy-Longlegs . . . .48 



CONTENTS 




Birds and Cats .... 


. 49 


In the Park 


. 50 


Pretending 




Playing William Tell . 


: 55 


Playing Train 


. 56 


Sister's Tea Party 


. 57 


All-Day Suckers .... 


. 58 


The Little House for God . 


. 59 


A Preference .... 


. 59 



Book One 
FRIENDLY FOLKS 



CONTEMPORARY 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



The Policeman 



I like policemen, 

I'll be one, too, 
And protect people 

Down here, God, like You. 
I'll swing a big club 

And wear big shoes, 
Tho God, when I hit thieves 

I'll hardly bruise. 



ii 



But God, what are thieves 

That break thru and steal? 
You wouldn 't have me hurt the little mice 

That steal a little meal! 
I won't wear a uniform 

Like policemen do, 
I'll just keep my part 

Of the world for You ! 



TEE WOULD AT SEVEN 



The Grocery-Man 

The grocery-man's a good man, 

He sends us for our table 
All the things we need to eat 

As fast as he is able. 
He swaps for my brown pennies 

That I can't even taste, 
Sweet sticks of peppermint 

With ribbons round their waist. 
They look like little barber-poles 

That turn and turn around — 
I like to hear them crack much more 

Than hear the scissors sound! 



The Motor-man 

I like to ride upon the car 

And watch the motor-man, 
He's always turning something 

With each busy hand. 
He has a clear eye 

And doesn't talk, 
So it is he never 

Runs over us when we walk. 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



The Candy-Man 

The candy-man who sells us 

Little bags of taffy, 
So my Father tells ns, 

Lives in a house of taffy. 
I wish I knew his little boy 

And could go down to see him — 
I'd eat the useless parts all up! 

My! How I'd like to be him! 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



The Paper-Boy 

The boy who brings the paper 

When the day is half -awake, 
Has all the pennies 

He can make. 
He gets up early 

With the sun — 
When we eat breakfast 

His work is done. 
This morning he told me 

On the lawn, 
He would soon be a man 

With long pants on, 
And go to Belgium 

And fight there — 
His parents are dead 

So they won't care. 
Perhaps they'll like it 

If he's killed and dies 
So they can have him 

With them in the skies ! 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



Our Negros 

Our negros are black 

As the polish I use 
When I go out to walk 

On my black shoes. 
But inside they're white 

Just as I am — 
My nursie in Heaven 

Is white as God's lamb. 



My Twin 

My twin is a spirit 

I never can see 
Until from the window 

He looks out at me — 
But he isn't as handsome 

As I want to be ! 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



Soldiers 

How the soldiers march around 
Tramping up and down the town! 
In their grand, new uniform 
They can any fortress storm! 
I hope the war will wait for me 

So I can grow up tall 
And march around and down the town, 

Then march away with all! 



THE WOULD AT SEVEN 



Old Uncle July 

i 

There is an old black man 

Comes mumbling down the street 
Who gives us bits of taffy 

From the taffy house to eat. 
Isn't he a good man 

Like all the rest, 
For he gives us taffy 

And taffy I like best! 

ii 

When a fun' r el comes 

(What are fun' r els, say) 
He will head the black hearse 

And lead the way 
Where the grave is open 

And the people pray 
Because someone is going down 

In the earth to play 
With the dwarfs and goblins. 
"But he won't stay long!" 

I hear the old man say, 
So he doesn't pray long 

And is the first away. 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



Wa-Wa 

Wa-Wa is the woman cook. 
Every morn for her I look. 
Sitting on the steps I wait 
And I'm sorry when she's late, 
For she thinks of me and tries 
Always to bring me some surprise. 
Sometimes when she smiling comes 
She gives me real cake — not the crumbs 
From the angel-cake we had. 
(When I'm an angel I'll be glad!) 
I like her; the song she hums; 
I like her taste in chewing gums! 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



Happy Hooligan 

I do feel so sorry 

For poor Happy Hooligan. 
He never has any luck, 

This poor man, 
But he's a good fellow 

And does his best — 
Tho it seems the devil 

Then does the rest! 
If he takes a broom 

And turns around 
He always knocks 

A police-man down! 
And he gets up, 

And he gets mad! 
And beats poor Hooligan 

Which makes me sad. 
He wears a tin can 

For his hat, 
But he's such a good man 

I never laugh at that. 
If I ever see him 

Coming up the street, 
Wa-Wa will make him 



10 THE WOULD AT SEVEN 

Something sweet, 
For she likes him 

As well as I — 
The way folks treat him 

Makes her cry. 
Poor Happy Hooligan, 

He does the best he can 
So God will give him a crown of gold 

For his tin can! 



HISTORICAL 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 13 



Jack, the Giant-Killer 

Jack, the Giant-Killer, 

Sold a cow 
For a hat full of beans — 

He's famous now! 
He climbed a bean-stalk 

That grew from the seed 
And got all the money 

His Mother could need. 
There, up in the blue, 
A giant he slew, 
And the giant's cook 

Gave him a goose 
Just like the one 

That 's in our yard loose ! 
The goose laid a golden egg 

Like first prize on Easter, 
But ours don't lay them — 

At least she has ceased to. 

ii 

If we had a cow 

I'd sell her for beans 



14 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 

And climb up the bean-stalk 
To wonderful scenes. 

When I came down 
I'd be famous too, 

Like Jack in the story 
And Little Boy Blue ! 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 15 



Cinderella 



When I was just a little fellow 

Nursie used to tell 
All about fair Cinderella: 

How the glass slipper fell 
Right in the ballroom 

With a "plink!" 
While the clock: 

"Tick, tock, 
Clank, clink !" 
Struck twelve. 

ii 

I'd sit by the kitchen fire 

If I were Sister, 
And wash up the dishes till 

My hands would blister. 
Perhaps then while I sat there 

From a door hid in the wall, 
A witch would come and send me 

To a Prince's ball! 



16 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



Hans and Gretchel 



Little Hans and Gretchel 

Got lost one day 
And thru the Deep Woods 

Wandered away. 
They came to a little house 

More asleep than awake, 
That was all built of cookies 

And gingerbread cake. 
They ate up the door-knob, 

And ate off the latch, 
And tiptoed to reach 

The sweet-bread thatch. 
The old woman who lived there 

Laughed at that 
And said to herself : 

"It'll make 'em fat!" 
So she led them in gently, 

And there boxed their ears, 
And slapt them so soundly 

She brought out the tears. 
She set them to baking 

The door-nob a doughnut, 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 17 

And put them to making 

A long lady-finger 

To keep the door shut! 
She cut a peach-switch 

And she whipt them again 
Till like peppermint candy 

Their legs wore a red stain. 
She laughed as she beat them 

While they hollered with pain. 
She took them and locked them 

And fed them up fat 
And left to watch them 

Her old black cat. 
My! They were 'fraid then! 

So down on their knees 
They prayed: "0, Father God, 

Help us please!" 
So You heard them in Heaven 

As only You can, 
And sent down to save them 

The Raggedy-Man. 



ii 

My! He was so hungry 
He ate up the house, 

And killed the black cat 
That ate the white mouse ! 



18 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 

He caught the old witch, 

Like this — by the nose ! 
That Raggedy-Man 

In the raggedy clothes. 
He shook her and threw her 

Deep down in the water, 
And took back the woodman 

His son and his daughter ! 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 19 



Robinson Crusoe 



Robinson Crusoe 

Got wrecked on the sea 
And was lost on an island 

Of great mystery. 
He found him a parrot 

To talk with him there, 
And also a goat 

To walk with him there. 
He built him a house 

And a palisade, 
And slung a hammock 

There in the shade. 

ii 

One day on the seashore 

Footprints he saw, 
Next day he watched cannibals 

Eat others half raw! 
Then he saw running 

A poor fellow to him 
So he shot the others 

Who tried to pur-sue him. 



20 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 

He found him on Friday 
So that is the name 

By which his black servant 
Is known to fame ! 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 21 



King Alfred 



Of all the kings that ever were 

King Alfred was the best king : 
One day into a cottage 

He went for resting. 
The woman there was cooking, 

But she had to leave the house, 
So she told him to watch it . . . 

And, still as a mouse 
He sat on his stool 

While the cake burned to cinders 
And the house grew cool. 

When the woman came back 
She called him a fool! 



ii 

She didn't know him of course 
But that doesn't matter — 

He didn't get mad 

Or even think "Drat her!" 

He just said, "Madam, 
Please pardon me, 



22 TEE WORLD AT SEVEN 

For I have all England 

To oversee !" 
He could have burnt her 

At a red stake, 
But he forgave her 

And bought another cake! 



OTHER BOYS IN 
OTHER LANDS 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 25 



Little Chinese 

The little Chinese 

Wear long pig-tales, 
And that's why 

Our hogs don't have big tails. 
They eat bird's nests 

And rice with a small stick, 
And yet they never 

Get ever at all sick! 
They also drink tea 

And sit on the floor, 
Which makes me like them 

A little bit more. 
Then they have gardens 

With baby trees, 
And queer little bridges 

To cross when they please. 
They live in queer houses 

And sometimes eat rats, 
Just like my Libby 

And all other cats! 



26 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



Eskimo Boys 

The Eskimo boys 

Live up in the snow, 
They sleigh and they slide 

Wherever they go! 
They build a big snowball 

And a house out of ice, 
And live there all Summer — 

I think that is nice ! 
They live with their dogs 

All Winter long, 
And hunt seal and foxes 

And reindeer strong — 
I don't think that's right! 

I know it's wrong! 
For Santa Claus needs them 

When Christinas comes 'long ! 
They have all the sherbet 

And ice-cream they like, 
'Way up in a circle 

Round the Klondike. 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 27 



Baby Indians 

The baby Indians 

Hang on a tree 
Like little wasps-nests 

In the store-room I see. 
But often their Mothers 

Pull them down 
And take them wherever 

They go around: 
Thru the Greenwood, 

By the Blue River, 
Where Robin Hood 

Lives safe forever! 



Book Two 

THE PLEASANT LAND 
OF PLAY 



THINKING ALOUD 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 33 



A Memory 

Once in a tub thru the snow 
With nurse did I go 

When I was three years old. 
All I remember now 

Is a man with two legs 
I didn't know, 

And nursie, the snow, and the cold. 



When I Was Five 

When I was as small as five 

I hardly knew I was alive! 

I didn't know the world was round, 

When America was found, 

And I really didn't know 

How much larger I could grow! 

Or what a birthday cake is like, 

How Little Hansie saved the dike — 

I couldn't even write or read, 

So my Sister has agreed 

I was very small indeed ! 



34 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



The Fire 

Once I saw a fire — 

Three houses burning down — 
They made a bonfire 

On the top of the town. 
My ! It was fun ! It was just like Hell 
Burning the bad world up — and it burnt well ! 

But soon I grew sorry 
For two little boys 

Cried for their Mother, 
And cried for their toys. 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 35 



The Trolley-Car 

I like to ride a trolley-car 

To the park or town, 
I think that is the best way 

Always to go down. 
I like to watch it follow 

Along the track. 
It goes a long ways 

But always comes back. 
So I like to ride it 

To the town or park — 
But one night it stopt 

And we walked home in the dark ! 



36 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



A Greater Happiness 

I'm just happy I'm alive! 
Cake and candy make me thrive! 
If I were a bee I 'd be happier still 
In a honey-bee hive eating my fill ! 



Mother's Lap 

I wonder if the Vale of Avalon 
In whose lap King Arthur lies, 

Is half as cozy as my Mother's is 
When the day dies? 



Falling Asleep 

Jack-Be-Nimble, Jack-Be-Quick, 
Jack-Jump-Over-The-Candle-Stick ! " 
Across both of my eyes they fly 
Till in my bed asleep I lie. 



t i 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 37 



The Frog Night-School 

Little frogs sit on toad-stools 

And they all go to night-schools 

Where they sit around in rings 

While the head musician sings: 

* ' Groonc, groonc — car-roonc ! 

Groonc, groonc — car-roonc ! ' ' 

And they follow as best they can 

This sore-throated musician. 

I can hear them from my bed; 

I shall hear them when I'm dead: 

In God's House 

"Squeak" '11 say mouse; 

But "Groonc, groonc — car-roonc! 

Groonc, groonc — car-roonc ! ' ' 

— I shall hear in Heaven, too, 

The dear old frog voices that I knew! 



38 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



From the Hill 

I live on a hill 

At the top of the town 
And see all the houses 

When I look down. 
Thru mist in the morning 

How lovely it looks! 
Just like a city 

In picture-books! 
But late in the evening 

It's lovelier still 
When the stars shine over 

Our home on the hill, 
For down by the river 

After the day, 
Small ones will twinkle 

Just like on a bay. 
The lamps God lights 

Up in the blue 
Are lovely — but so are 

The city's too! 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



Watching the Weather 

When I'm as big as Father is 

And carry a long cane, 
I '11 be like him and never need 

To watch a weather-vane. 
I'll sit upon the back-porch 

In the afternoon 
And see the smoke go waving 

Like a plume. 
If to the west — 

My cane will stay; 
If to the east — 

It'll tap away! 



40 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



Sunrise and Sunset 

I like to get up early 

With the early sun 
And watch him paint 

All the lovely sky 
Till from rose its colors run 

To the blue of Mother's eye. 
But sometimes it's red 

Like blood when you bleed, 
(So Sister has said, 

And with her I've agreed). 
But I don't see him much 

When he goes to bed 
For I am such 

A sleepy head! 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 41 



By the River 

Down on the blue river 

Where the boats go by 
While faster the clouds race 

In the blue sky, 
There folks are fishing 

But never catch whales 
With Jonahs inside them 

Or ships and their sails. 
Should they catch them 

They couldn't creep there, 
For the whales would think them Jonahs 

And their poor Mothers weep there. 



Going to Travel 

I'm going to travel 

On the train; 
Father's built an air castle 

Off in Spain. 
Mother says it may be 

Just a cottage after all, 
So I shall like it 

With roses on the wall! 



42 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



Candy-Pigs 

I love all-day suckers 

And a fat candy-pig — 
Not the little or the large ones, 

But the sweet ones — not-so-big. 
Five I'll buy tomorrow 

Down on the corner, 
But I won't be like some boys 

A little Jack Horner! 
Father shall have one, 

Sister another, 
Mother doesn't like them 

Just before we dine, 
And God says: "Eat the other, 

And hers and mine." 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 43 



A Penny Rich 

Yesterday, or maybe 

The day before, 
I went to buy something 

At the store. 
I had a brown penny, 

But when I got there 
I decided I'd wait 

And go to the Fair. 
When it is open 

I'll go to a show, 
And on a fly in '-jinny 

Around I'll go. 
When I get off 

My head will spin 
Just like my tops 

The big boys win ! 



44 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



In the School-Room 

Our school-room 

Is so alive 
It always sounds 

Like a honey-bee hive! 
But I don't like it 

Except at recess 
When I have to stay in 

With little Bess. 
She gives me candy, 

I give her — Well, 
I don't reckon 

I'll tell. 



PLAYMATES 



TEE WORLD AT SEVEN 47 



Little Macaroni-Worms 

Little Macaroni-worms! 

How each squiggles round and squirms ! 

Looking thru the window-pane 

I can see them after rain 

On the walk and in the yard 

After it's been raining hard. 

II 

Cheese-and-macaroni we 
On our table like to see, 
But when hungry robins eat 
Little worms are just as sweet! 



48 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



Gran'-Daddy-Longlegs 

I like little bugs 

That roll up in a ball, 
But spiders with long legs 

Best of all! 
' ' Gran '-daddy, Gran '-daddy. 

Your legs are so long! 
You have so many 

That none are strong!" 
Gran '-daddy listens 

Without a word 
Just like he hasn't 

Even heard! 
But he is deaf now 

As Gran '-daddy's are — 
He likes small insects 

And hates resin and tar ! 



THE WOULD AT SEVEN 49 



Birds and Cats 



Once Mother had a feathered hat 

That Father liked and bought for her, 
And once there was a mocking-bird 

From the woods he brought for her. 
But the bird that was upon the hat 

Would never sing, 
And she sent the other one 

To Heaven fluttering. 

ii 

And once we had a golden bird 

In a golden cage 
Till the big old pussy-cat 

Ate it in a rage. 
But I do like Libby, 

My own cat, 
Except — when only — sometimes 

She kills a little rat. 
Now I must feed her milk 

And animal-crackers, too. 
I wonder — if I had them — 

Would the cracker-mice do? 



50 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



In the Park 



I go to the park 

Each afternoon 
That Father comes home 

And gets ready soon. 
He goes tapping a cane, 

I go rolling a hoop. 
One day it ran into 

A queer chicken-coop. 
The chickens had parrot bills 

And claws like a cat, 
But when I called Father 

He just laughed at that. 
He said they were small hawks, 

Not chickens at all! 
Tho they had feathers like them 

They gave a queer call, 
And fluttered so angry — 

As once in the church, 
My head almost backwards 

(From Father I've heard) 

Just like a sleep bird 

Fell off of its perch! 



THE WOULD AT SEVEN 51 

II 

Then there were big white dogs 

That bathed in a pool, 
And funny, queer water-ones 

That climbed on a stool 
And caught — it was funny — 

The fish a man threw 
Just like a monkey 

Catches pennies from you! 
I never grow tired 

Of watching them play, 
But Father turns homeward 

And we wait another day. 



PRETENDING 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 55 



Playing William Tell 

Once I played William Tell, 

I mean — his little boy — 
And Sister took a bow-and-arrow 

(It was just a little toy) 
And put an apple on my head, 

And stood so close she couldn't miss me, 
So close — why even then she said 

That she could almost kiss me! 
She drew the bow-string back as far 

As ever that she could — 
For I was just a little boy, 

She, William Tell and Robin Hood — 
But when she let it go it didn't 

Hit where you'd expect — 
She didn't touch the apple, but 

She nearly broke my neck! 
When Father came back home that night 

And heard about our game, 
He said she hit my Adam's Apple 

Which surely was a shame! 
Now Sister says she didn't miss, 

But only changed her aim — 
So she ate the other one 

As her part of the game ! 



56 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



Playing Train 

We played train with chairs 
Two by two — in pairs — 
I had the sleeping-car 

And Sister the diner, 
So we all started 

Away to China. 
But China broke up 

Before we got there, 
And the train had a wreck 

When I fell out of my chair ! 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 57 



Sister's Tea-Party 

Sister isn't so bad 

Always to me, 
Sometimes she has me 

With her doll to tea. 
But her doll is selfish 

And eats nearly all 
Except the crumbles 

I catch as they fall. 
It isn't the doll's fault — 

It's no sin to her — 
For really not a cracker 

Goes into her! 



58 THE WORLD AT SEVEN 



All-Day Suckers 

When I was a baby 

And not a little man, 
I had five all-day suckers 

On each hand! 
They were so good, 

(So Mother said) 
I always took them 

With me to bed! 
When I didn't want them 

I shut them in my hand 
Just like in a candy-bag — 

Wasn't that grand! 
The fingers were'nt so good 

To my appetite, 
But the thumbs were so good 

I suckt them all night ! 



THE WORLD AT SEVEN 59 



The Little House for God 

I built a little House for God 

Like that one in the story, 
Tho mine of blocks was much too small 

To hold in His glory. 
But Sister only laughed and said, 

"You're funny, Little Brother — " 
So she kicked it down, but God, 

I'll build You up another! 



A Preference 

' i Swing low, Sweet Chariot ! ' ' 

So Mother sings, 
But I'd rather go flying 

To Heaven on wings! 



mn!"iB2ft?.LS F CONGRESS 

Illfliillll 

016 235 157 6 * 




